Diamond Head Road reopens after work

Diamond Head Road was reopened to traffic yesterday after work crews removed loosened rocks from the face of the landmark.

The road was closed April 3 after heavy rains triggered a rockslide above the third scenic lookout.

The work was necessary for public safety, said Peter Young, chairman of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources. The cost of the project is still being calculated, he said.

The work was done by Janod, a contractor who scaled the exterior slope to manually chop threatening outcroppings, and Goodfellow Brothers, which did heavy equipment removal. Earth Tech was the geological consultant.

They finished the job more quickly than the anticipated three weeks, Young said. "We appreciate the public's patience and understanding."

The road is a popular scenic drive and path for joggers and walkers, as well as a route to the Black Point and Kahala residential areas.

UH seeks applicants for general counsel

The University of Hawaii has started advertising for a new vice president for legal affairs and university general counsel.

Walter Kirimitsu, who has held the job since 1999, is leaving to become president of Saint Louis School.

Minimum qualifications include a law degree from an accredited school; admission to the Hawaii State Bar and U.S. District Court; 10 years as a licensed attorney; and the ability to communicate effectively with diverse constituents in higher education.

The next general counsel should also have experience in legal issues facing public higher education institutions, experience in civil litigation, trial and appellate practice and directing and coordinating the work of other attorneys.

A cover letter, resume and five references are to be sent to the UH president's office. A review of applications will begin on May 2.

Kirimitsu, a former state appellate judge and former Hawaii State Bar Association president, made $256,248 a year.

Free tickets available for 'Smoking' satire

A free showing of the movie, "Thank You for Smoking," will be sponsored by the Clear the Smoke campaign at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Ward theaters.

The satire won glowing reviews at the Sundance Film Festival and a "thumbs up" from Ebert and Roper.

"It is the story of a tobacco company lobbyist whose over-the-top tactics finally lead him to an epiphany about the real -- and sinister -- effects of his work," according to a news release from the campaign.

The movie illustrates how the tobacco industry uses deceptive marketing strategies to sell cigarettes, it says.

Tickets may be obtained by registering for e-alerts on the Clear the Smoke Web site: www.clearthesmoke.org. Those who sign up for free tickets also will be eligible for drawings for T-shirts, posters, toys and other items from the movie and Clear the Smoke.

Tickets are issued on a first-come, first-served basis.

TAKING NOTICE

» Sharon Miyashiro, a specialist in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, was awarded the 2006 Robert W. Clopton Award for outstanding community service.

» Johnathan Cheng and Eli Tsukuyama, juniors at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, are finalists in the Truman Scholarship competition for $30,000. It is the first time since 1999 that the UH has any student who qualified for the finals. Cheng is a chemistry student, and Tsukayama is studying psychology.

» Danielle Conway-Jones, professor of law and director of the Hawaii Procurement Institute at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, has been awarded the 2006 to 2007 Fulbright Senior Scholar Award to lecture and conduct research at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia.

"Taking Notice" also runs on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Police, Fire, Courts

Star-Bulletin staff

NEIGHBOR ISLANDS

Victim in crash died from heart attack

An autopsy on a 63-year-old North Kohala man who died Friday after being involved in a one-vehicle crash on Akoni Pule Highway showed that he died of a heart attack and not from injuries sustained in the crash.

The dead man was identified as Mark Schwartzman of North Kohala.

North Kohala police officers responded to the 10:42 p.m. call. The man was driving a 1991 Honda two-door sedan north on Akoni Pule Highway when it went off the right side of the road and dropped about 15 feet into a gulch.

The driver was transported to the Kona Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The traffic fatality count for the Big Island will remain at 12, compared with 11 at the same time last year.